One of the most prestigious awards left in sports is Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. SI made the announcement on CNN this morning. Although the entire magazine industry has been facing a downward trend, the award still means something tangible to honor the most influential, memorable athlete in the past year. For 2012, the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year is LeBron James. The choice of LeBron is no surprise after winning his first NBA title for the Miami Heat in June. He also added NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and a Gold Medal to that tally. But, it's that elusive championship ring that finally led LeBron James to the mountaintop of not just his sport, but the sports world as a whole. For all the anger still directed at James for the way he left Cleveland, and for all the psychoanalysis of every inch of his character and every tweet sent, James is beginning to win back fans with his continued otherworldly play on the court. You can read the entire story on LeBron James winning Sportsman of the Year at SI here. And, a list of all Sportsman of the Year winners is here. (Pic via SI)

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